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Night photograph of a festival procession at the Kumbh Mela. A golden palanquin-style ratha carries a seated figure under a fringed canopy and is decorated with marigold garlands, colourful tassels and a large floral wreath. Men in white dhotis and bare upper bodies, some with saffron cloth, pull and walk beside the ratha. A seated figure in red-orange robes and a turban sits at the centre of the platform. Bystanders in orange and white press close, and a sign reads Shri Panchayati Akhada Mahanirvani with a portrait banner nearby. Street lamps light the scene.

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September 15 20152015-09-15Night-time procession at a festival, with a decorated ceremonial canopy (chhatra) topped with a yellow-and-red fringed umbrella and hung with multicoloured tassels and flower garlands. Beneath it, a man in white dhoti and shawl stands near a red-cloth-covered table, while a bald man in saffron-orange robes with a gold-beaded necklace stands at the front of the canopy. Dense crowds of devotees in orange and saffron clothing press around a black car, with string lights and a gateway sign reading Shri Panchayati Akhada at right.2015-09-15A nighttime procession at the Kumbh Mela camp of the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, lit by floodlights. A large golden palanquin with a canopy of festoon garlands, bells and fringed umbrella-shaped top carries a seated figure in red garments. Around it, men in white dhotis and bare torsos carry poles, and a man in orange-brown robes with a beaded necklace leans in from the right, reaching toward the palanquin. A dense crowd of devotees with raised hands and white tripundra markings presses around it.2015-09-15February 10 20132013-02-10Night procession at a Kumbha Mela-style gathering in heavy smoky haze. A richly decorated palanquin-style ratha with marigold garlands, gold finials, a blue canopy and a saffron-and-gold kalasha-like top carries a central seated figure in red and orange robes. Around it, saffron-clad sadhus with white-painted faces and tridents stand near the chariot, and white-clad attendants push and steer the vehicle. A large saffron flag with a blue circular emblem flies at the right edge. Dense crowds of devotees, many in white and red shawls and headwraps, fill the foreground and background, with lit street lamps in the distance.2013-02-10Night-time procession at Kumbh Mela with a decorated ratha on a platform. A seated figure under a large blue and red umbrella-shaped canopy is adorned with marigold garlands, and a tall silver trident stands beside the canopy. Around the platform, a man in white dhoti and shirt holds up a brass vessel, and several sadhus in saffron and orange robes stand with rudraksha malas. A woman in a red shawl and white sari sits at the front edge. Glowing street lamps and orange flags frame the scene, with a crowd gathered behind the barricade.2013-02-10September 15 20152015-09-15Night procession at the Kumbh Mela on a flower-decorated ratha with a bright canopy of blue, orange and pink fabric hung with tassels. A seated figure in red and gold, with a crown and floral garland, sits on the raised platform. A bare-shouldered man in saffron cloth stands at the front of the float and raises his hands in greeting. Ceremonial attendants in white dhotis and saffron cloth hold tall silver staffs and ornate poles, and a man in white raises a camera on a long pole. Crowds in winter caps and shawls line the road, and a saffron flag flies at right. Marigold garlands drape the cart and strings of lights glow in the dusk.2013-02-10February 12 20132013-02-12Night photograph of a decorated processional chariot, ratha, lit by lamps and garlanded with yellow and orange flower strings and hanging tassels, with a blue-fringed canopy above. Several people stand and sit on the platform in saffron, orange and white garments; one man in orange robes holds a ceremonial staff. Robed attendants in white dhotis and maroon shawls line a barrier in the foreground along a stone embankment. Loudspeakers and a second decorated vehicle appear at the right.2013-02-12February 10 20132013-02-10Night procession at a Kumbh Mela-style event, lit by street lamps through haze. A large ornate ratha or palanquin, decorated with marigold garlands, fringed tassels and a gilded canopy, carries seated figures in red and gold garments. Ceremonial multicoloured parasols with tassels shelter the float. In front, a figure in white dhoti and shawl stands on the float beside the central seated figure, with a trident-like staff nearby. Crowds of devotees surround the float, many in orange and saffron clothing, several holding saffron flags on poles; some men have white tilak markings and white dhotis.2013-02-10